Chapter 17 - THE SECOND PROPOSAL
A year passed.
Luca did not ask again.
That was why Rachel eventually did.
They were in Marco’s restaurant.
Emma was doing homework at the next table.
Rachel placed a small black box beside Luca’s plate.
He stared.
“What is that?”
“Open it.”
Inside was a simple ring.
Not for him.
For her.
Luca looked confused.
Rachel said:
“You can ask again now.”
Marco screamed from the kitchen:
“FINALLY.”
Rachel closed her eyes.
“You told him?”
“Everybody knew except Luca.”
Luca looked offended.
Emma raised her hand.
“I knew.”
“Traitors.”
He turned to Rachel.
No grand speech.
No audience worth impressing.
“Rachel Donovan.”
She smiled.
“Yes?”
“Will you marry me?”
“Yes.”
Emma cheered.
Marco opened champagne.
Dr. Bennett, invited suspiciously quickly, warned Luca not to get too excited.
He ignored her moderately.
The wedding was small.
Twenty-six people.
No empire.
No captains.
No political officials.
Emma stood between them.
During vows, Luca said:
“I once thought love meant removing danger before you knew it existed.”
He looked at Rachel.
“I learned love also means telling the truth and letting the person beside you choose what to do with it.”
Rachel cried.
Emma whispered loudly:
“Mom is leaking.”
Everyone laughed.
Then Rachel said:
“I once believed loving Luca meant either accepting his world or losing him.”
She looked at him.
“I learned people can leave worlds.”
Pause.
“But they have to walk out themselves.”
Luca understood.
Nobody saved him.
Rachel gave him a reason.
Emma gave him a face.
His father left him a warning.
But Luca had to choose.
After the ceremony, Emma gave them a drawing.
Three figures.
All faces complete.
Then Luca noticed a fourth.
Dr. Bennett.
A fifth.
Marco.
Sixth.
Matteo.
Even Isabella, drawn with angel wings because Emma lacked subtlety.
At the top:
MY FAMILY
Luca looked at Rachel.
“There are too many people in this picture.”
Emma frowned.
May you like
“You used to be no face.”
He immediately stopped complaining.
